Hearty Baked Rotini

There was a chill in the air this morning that made it almost seem like fall.  I decided it would be the perfect day to break out the cold weather recipes and make something cozy and comforting for dinner.  So I picked out a hearty baked pasta recipe and headed to the store (I hadn't been there in almost 48 hours, which I think is a personal record.)  I forgot how deceiving September mornings can be though, because by the time I picked the girls up from school the temperature was back up to 80 degrees.  Oh well, we can always turn down the air-conditioning and pretend it's fall.

Here's the full menu:

Hearty Baked Rotini

Simple Green Salad

Lemon Italian Ice

At least the Italian ice makes sense for an 80 degree day. :)



Hearty Baked Rotini

1 pound ground beef

1 small onion, chopped

1 small green bell pepper, chopped

1 (28-ounce) can crushed tomatoes

1 (6-ounce) can tomato paste

8 ounces fresh mushrooms, sliced

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon dried basil

1/4 teaspoon garlic powder

1/4 teaspoon dried oregano

1/4 teaspoon dried crushed red pepper

8 ounces rotini, cooked

2 cups (8 ounces) shredded mozzarella cheese

½ cup Parmesan cheese

1. Cook first 3 ingredients in a large skillet over medium heat, stirring until beef is browned; drain and return to skillet.

2. Stir in tomatoes and next 7 ingredients; bring to a boil. Reduce heat, and simmer, stirring occasionally, for 20 minutes. Stir in rotini and cheese. Spoon into a lightly greased 13- x 9-inch baking dish and bake at 350° for 35 minutes.

Update:  Overall, this one's a keeper -- everyone really enjoyed it.   I would definitely make it again, maybe on a cold and rainy October day.  For now though, it's back to the grill for awhile.